The present invention relates to apparatus integrating telecommunications functionality with consumer devices, a method of operating the same, and a system incorporating the same.
The mobile telecommunications operators and mobile phone suppliers have recognized the huge potential of the youth market, and have been highly successful in that segment through a combination of pay-as-you-talk tariffs, fashionable products and new capabilitiesxe2x80x94such as the GSM short message service. This initial success is now being built upon through the introduction of WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) standards to allow mobile phone to access the Internet, and by combining the mobile phones with other networked consumer devices such as MP3 players.
Although mobile based services will continue to grow dramatically, they do have limitations in their ability to fully address the youth market they are expensivexe2x80x94and teenagers are typically very cost conscious; they have limited data rates that inevitably limit their ability to address Internet based applications until 3rd generation networks are widely available at a competitive price.
Furthermore, existing solutions for accessing media across an IP network tend to be media-specific and dependent on a general purpose computing platformxe2x80x94for example a PC. This makes accessing IP network based media expensive and complex to engineer.
The invention seeks to provide an improved apparatus and method of operation for providing cost effective communication enabled consumer products and related control apparatus.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a consumer entertainment device comprising a telecommunications transceiver arranged for communication over a customer premises network.
Such devices include, but are not limited to, any one of a games console, an audio recording player, an audio visual recording player, and a radio frequency broadcast reception apparatus.
Preferably, said customer premises network is a wireless network.
The consumer entertainment device may comprise entertainment control apparatus and telephony handset apparatus and wherein said entertainment control apparatus and said telephone handset apparatus makes shared use of said telecommunications transceiver
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a media connections unit comprising: a customer premises network protocol interface; a public network protocol interface; interworking apparatus to enable communication between said interfaces.
Preferably, said customer premises network protocol interface is a wireless interface.
The media connections unit may additionally comprise: a store arranged to support at least one of buffering communications between said interfaces, and caching communications between said interfaces.
Preferably, said customer premises network protocol interface comprises: a protocol entity arranged to support communication of menu and menu item selection data.
Preferably, said customer premises network protocol Interface comprises: a protocol entity arranged to support communication of a media stream.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a customer premises equipment arrangement comprising: a media connections unit according to the present invention.
The customer premises equipment arrangement may additionally comprise: a modem arranged to modulate and demodulate signals on a public network from and to said public network protocol interface of said media connections unit
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a customer premises media system comprising: at least one consumer entertainment device comprising a customer premises network protocol interface; a media connections unit comprising a customer promises network protocol interface, a public network protocol interface, and interworking apparatus to enable communications between said interfaces; and a customer premises network arranged to support communication between said customer premises network protocol interfaces.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a network gateway comprising an access control unit, whereby to control access to a network from a remote media connections unit.
The invention is also directed to a telecommunications network comprising one or more instances of apparatus according to the foregoing aspects of the present invention.
Advantageously, multiple consumer devices are combined into one consumer item, allowing significant overall cost savings both to the user and manufacturer from sharing of common components, such as audio input/output devices, wireless networking components, display screens and selection devices.
Furthermore, such integrated units allow users to carry a single device operable to perform multiple device control and communication functions without requiring the full complexity and generality of functions supported by a personal computer.
Furthermore, Integration of control and communications functions in a single hand-held device allows users to operate multiple functions simultaneously from a single device. For example, a user may download MP3-encoded sound recordings to such a device while at the same time holding a telephone conversation via the same device. The sound recordings may, for example, be downloaded directly to a local media controller and from the media controller to the handset during periods of silence during the voice call.
Advantageously the market for cordless telephony devices is potentially larger than that for mobile telephones and the costs of ownership and usage potentially less.
The invention is also directed to a method by which the described apparatus operates and including method steps for carrying out every function of the apparatus.
The invention is also directed to a program for a computer, comprising components arranged to perform each of the method steps.
The invention is also directed to signals transmitted between the apparatus.
The preferred features may be combined as appropriate, as would be apparent to a skilled person, and may be combined with any of the aspects of the invention.